Phila fire chief 'self-demotes' for more income

Fire Chief Jim Parrish, who has been chief for the past six years, has announced he will leave the position effective Dec. 31, so he can replace Capt. Allen Daugherty, who is retiring. The move will allow Parrish to be eligible for overtime and to earn more money.

Fire Chief Jim Parrish says he has not pressured New Philadelphia City Council to give him a $20,000-a-year pay increase.

Parrish, who has been chief for the past six years, has announced he will leave the position effective Dec. 31, so he can replace Capt. Allen Daugherty, who is retiring. The move will allow Parrish to be eligible for overtime and to earn more money.

In response, an ordinance has been drafted that would increase the fire chief's salary to about $85,000 per year. It will receive its third and final reading at Monday's City Council meeting.

"If it doesn't work out, I'll be just as fortunate to function as a captain, and life goes on," Parrish told The T-R on Friday.

He said the ordinance does more than just increase the fire chief's salary. It also would establish criteria for holding the job.

If the ordinance is approved, the chief would be required to obtain and maintain state certification as a paramedic, a level 2 firefighter, a fire safety inspector, fire officer 1 and 2 and have a chief fire officer designation.

The chief would not be eligible for overtime. "There is no overtime in this proposal," Parrish said. "It's a salaried position."

The $85,000 figure was picked by Councilman John Zucal and Law Director Marvin Fete, who looked at the salaries of fire chiefs in comparable cities. "They compared call volume, the size of the Fire Department and jurisdiction and came up with a dollar figure of $85,000," Parrish said.

He defended that number, noting that the fire chief is responsible for a $3 million budget. "How are you going to get the best and brightest people to aspire to these positions and take the responsibility if the pay is not commensurate?" he asked.

Because of overtime, 11 of the department's 22 firefighters earn more than the chief's current annual salary.

Parrish said his department is understaffed and depends on off-duty people as much as on-duty employees.

"Our city has chosen to staff the department with overtime, versus hiring more firefighters," he said. "It's less expensive to pay overtime than pay full-time firefighters."

As a captain, Parrish would earn less than as chief. "But when you include overtime, it's significantly more — $20,000 to $25,000 more," he said.

The chief noted some of the steps that were taken in the last six years to save money or find grants to help fund the department.

His department worked with the Dover Fire Department to apply for a grant to purchase $112,000 worth or radios. New Philadelphia had to pay 10 percent of the cost. Then the two departments applied for a $600,000 grant to replace their breathing equipment to make it safer.

The department also refurbished its 1987 ladder tower truck at a cost of $595,000, he said. A new one would have cost $1.2 million. A 1995 fire engine was also refurbished at a cost of $100,000. A replacement would have cost between $450,000 and $500,000, he said.

Page 2 of 2 - New Philadelphia has adopted new technology for firefighter training. "We can do a lot of training online, which is a cost savings to the city and is available to all firefighters, whether they are at home or on down time at work," Parrish said. He added that employees still are sent to schools for training.

"We have the best trained fire department we could possibly have," he said.

He noted, "A progressive, well-staffed and well-maintained fire department is not cheap, but with grants and refurbished vehicles, we've been pretty successful."

His decision to seek the post of captain was motivated by concerns over the amount of his pension.

"Feb. 4, 2014, starts my last three years," he said. "If I do not self-demote to captain or they don't raise my pay, it will cost me $12,000 per year after I retire through the Police and Fire Pension Fund."

He added, "I have nothing to prove at this point about my dedication to the city of New Philadelphia, but there comes a point in time when you have to take care of your family. Everybody is working toward retirement."

Parrish said he has been "incredibly blessed" to work for the New Philadelphia Fire Department.

"It's really not a job," he said. "It's a career. I've had a fantastic career. There was not a day I didn't want to go to work.

"I work with the best people in the business, there's not doubt about that."